On the horizon

Cartoon Movie 2012

Producers come to Cartoon Movie seeking partners for their animated offerings. These rank among the confab’s more promising projects:

Completed Features

Directed and produced by animation vet Pascal Herold, the $15.7 million “Cinderella 3D” transposes the classic fairy tale to the Wild West, where its heroine falls for a Russian prince. Bac Films will release it this year. Toronto-based outfit Cinemavault has already inked various pre-sales.

From the team behind “Journey to Saturn,” “Ronal the Barbarian” is a 3D children-oriented toon turning on a young Conan-type lad forced to fight an evil lord to protect his tribe. Produced by Danish studio Einstein Film and repped by LevelK. Key territories, including France and Germany, have been closed.

Helmed by French filmmakers Remi Bezancon and Jean-Christophe Lie, $11.3 million “Zarafa” tells the adventures of a 10-year-old Egyptian boy and a baby giraffe travelling from Sudan to Paris. Repped by Pathe Intl., the 2D pic opens in Gaul on Feb.5.

In Production

A 2D New-York set fantasy thriller, “Phantom Boy” is Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol’s follow up to Oscar-nominated “A Cat in Paris.” Produced by France’s Folimage and co-produced by Luxembourg’s Lunanime and Rhone-Alpes Cinema.

In Development

“Another Day of Life,” directed by Damian Nenow, takes place during the Angolan civil war. Produced by Poland’s Platige Image and Spain’s Kanaki Films, the adult-skewed pic is based on Ryszard Kapuscinski’s book.

With fantasy hybrid “Animal’z,” Enki Bilal adapts his own graphic novel, blending traditional and CG animation with live-action. It’s set up as a France-Luxembourg co-pro between Gazato Films and Parlaluz.

Danish director Esben Toft Jacobsen’s “Beyond Beyond” follows a boy’s journey to reunite with his late mother in the underworld. The $3.8 million toon is produced Copenhagen Bombay.

A biopic of boxing champion Victor Perez, who was deported to Auschwitz during WWII, the $6.3 million “Young Perez” is helmed by Jean-Jacques Kahn and Franck Van Leeuwen. Produced by Gaul’s Explicit Films.

“Ziggy” is a rock ‘n’ roll zombie toon set in the French countryside. Directed by Samuel Tourneux, whose short “Even Pigeons Go to Heaven,” was Oscar nommed. France’s Manny Films is producing.

Script Stage

Budgeted at $17 million, the high-end horror toon “Ages of Madness” weaves together three stories, set in medieval France, WWII Germany and contempo Tokyo. Directed by Helio Mira and produced by Spain’s Lince Studios.

Based on a popular Belgian TV series, “Pic Pic Andre Shoow” is helmed by “A Town Called Panic” duo Stephane Aubier and Vincent Patar. The $9.2 million toon is produced by La Parti Prod.

Directed by Sebastien Ors, 3D “Alpha” recaps the story of life on Earth since the Big Bang exclusively with images. Based on Jens Harder’s prize-winning graphic novel and produced by Gaul’s Autour de Minuit Prods.

“The Island of Lost Children” is a 2D toon based on a Jacques Prevert script about teenagers detained in a penal colony. Jean Regnaud is penning the adaptation, produced by France’s Label Anim.